


The Girl and The Ghoul

by Megnanimous



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-29
Updated: 2017-11-29
Packaged: 2019-02-08 07:50:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12860082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megnanimous/pseuds/Megnanimous
Summary: Beauty and the Beast AU. Inspired by the 2017 film, however, made more original.New in Tokyo, Japan, [Name] and her father begin to have a normal start, away from the horror that befell them back home. After finally starting to move on, [Father] is called to a meeting, but gets lost in the woods, where he stumbles upon a castle. A castle depicting harsh images of ghoul like creatures feasting on humans. Spurred on only by the growing cold, he seeks shelter in the warm castle, finding fresh clothes set out by phantom servants. Growing fearful of the seemingly haunted castle, he flees, and only stops when he sees a rose bush. Who knew that a single rose could damn him so? And why did his stubborn daughter have to get involved? Rated T, or PG-13  for violence and swearing. Possible limes and maybe lemons the future. Slow burn.Now, you might want to ask yourself, "Would you dare take his place, you little worm?"What would your answer be?Images are not mine, nor is Ayato or anyone or anything from Tokyo Ghoul. Beauty and the Beast doesn't belong to me either. All rights go to their respective owners.





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a Beauty and The Beast AU with Ayato Kirishima! This was inspired by Beauty and The Beast 2017, since I just saw it for the second time and something just sparked and this idea was born. The story is set in modern times.

Author's Note: Beauty and The Beast AU with Ayato Kirishima. This was inspired by Beauty and The Beast 2017, since I just saw it for the second time and something just sparked and this idea was born. The story is set in modern times.  
-  
The streets of Tokyo were littered with people as [First Name, Last] pushed her way through the crowds. She and her father had moved from [country] less than a month ago and had previously been living in the countryside, only to be shoved into the harsh city life. Part of her was glad for the move, however. At least now, she reasoned, her paranoia was justified. But even so, ghouls weren't very common where she was from and you'd rarely hear of many attacks (though the few attacks were vicious and unsightly). And now, she lived in a part of the world where such creatures swarmed and feasted on their prey almost daily.

Her [color] eyes scanned her surroundings. 'With this many people, there has to be at least one ghoul in this area,' she thought to herself as she watched the herd go about its daily routines. 'I should just keep my guard up and not let any sketchy characters isolate me from the crowd.'

"You're safe with the crowd."

That was always something her father had drilled into her head when they had first moved here. Ghouls rarely ever attacked in the light of the day and when they did, they preferred for their victim to be killed somewhere exclusive, for fear that a flock of Doves would kill them if they saw. In the dead of night, however, that fear lessened. Greatly so. Anyway, her father figured that if she had others around her, she'd be safe because there would be too many witnesses and too many people who'd dare to turn in such a bold ghoul.

Having drifted off a bit, it came as quite a surprise when her small frame collided with a bigger build. Her [color] eyes met the cruel gaze of a blue haired boy who wore a fierce scowl on his face.

"Hey, watch it, you little worm," he snapped in Japanese, shooting her one last glare before stalking off.

"Sorry..." she could only mutter after his retreating figure.

 

When [Name] got home, the sky had darkened considerably. Her father, who was in the kitchen, cooking their dinner, looked up when she entered the room. He didn't look very amused.

"Where have you been off to?" He asked in English since it was just the two of them.

"I felt like exploring for a while, so I decided to take a walk," she replied.

"Oh?" He said, folding the edge of the quesadilla to the center. "Did anything exciting happen?"

[N] shook her head and gave a soft, indignant sound. "No, not really, though this one asshole bumped into me today."

Her father gave a breezy chuckle, earning a "Wth" look from his daughter. "Are you sure it wasn't you who bumped into him? After all, you do like sticking that head of yours into the clouds," he joked with a smile.

The sight cheered [N] up a bit. It had been a few years since she'd seen a genuine smile from him and not just the forced expression he'd play so she'd think nothing was wrong. The thing of it was, everything had gone wrong. That's why they were in Japan to begin with. Her father had wanted a fresh start and a clean slate, far away from the people they used to know, and more importantly, far from her mother's grave. Two years ago, [Mother] had been killed by a ghoul. She had only been fourteen at the time, but she'd seen everything, just standing there in shock as both her mother and her world were torn apart. She'd hated ghouls ever since.

"Yeah, you're probably right, papa, as always," she returned with a closed eye grin.

[Father] scooped the quesadillas from the pan and onto two different plates and handed his daughter one of the dishes. 

"Yeah, just eat up, Belle," he said, digging into his own meal as they sat at the kitchen table.

[N] began to move the food to her mouth, but then froze, the weight of the realization finally kicking in. Belle. Her mother's preferred term of endearment. Her father would flinch every time someone had called her that after her mother's death. But now he was using it so casually. Strange. 

But he was so absent-minded, so he probably didn't even notice that he'd said it in the first place. Nonetheless, she allowed herself an inward smile. [F/N] had been all out of sorts and quiet ever since the loss of his wife. Maybe after all this time, he was starting to heal.

She could only allow herself to hope.

 

The alarm clock gave [N] a harsh awakening as it mercilessly blared a few times, using the most obnoxious sound known to man to awaken the stunned girl. Growling, she smacked the snooze button and dragged herself out of bed to begin her morning routine, grumbling as she did so. After brushing her hair, and deciding to wear the [c] sweater over her ruddy jeans, she raced from her room and into the kitchen where she was sure her father already was. It amazed her how much of an early bird he was, always arising before the sun did.

To her surprise, she found in his place, a note;

'Sleep in until ten. And then make yourself some breakfast. For school: do the work I left for you on the table. The office called and they told me that the meeting with Mr. Yamaguchi was moved to today, so I won't be back until tomorrow. Be on your best behavior, and don't let any strangers into the house. You know my rules, so you know that when I come back, I'll be expecting to see you alive. I love you, and I'll be back soon. 

~Papa.

P.s., Don't worry. I'll bring you back a rose like how I always do.'

She smiled at the afterthought and trudged back to her room. Sleep didn't sound like a bad idea, after all.

~ END Chapter One~


	2. II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [N]'s father runs into a bit of trouble. Meanwhile, she's still at home, blissfully unaware.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vulgar language in this chapter, also some minor violence. Nothing too graphic.

The company car cruised down the old, back road. The meeting had been a success. Mr. Yamaguchi had liked [F], and had decided to hire him after all. After going to a bar to celebrate his win (with only one glass of sake), he had waited until the liquor buzz had faded and walked back to his car. It was a long journey ahead (if he drove all night, he'd be lucky to get back by early morning) and [N] hadn't left his mind once.

He hated leaving her alone, even for just one day. Ever since [M] had died, he'd had to pick up the pace to pay the bills, not to mention dealing with his grief and helping his daughter deal with hers. He liked to think that it was him that she relied on, but he could tell it was vice versa. She kept him sane when his mind had been torn apart.

"F*cking hell," he growled under his breath as a snow storm suddenly swarmed his surroundings.

It had been completely clear five seconds ago. The further he drove, the thicker the blizzard became. He turned on the window wipers, but it didn't do much good. The snow came too quickly and would cover the window faster than the wipers could clear it. Then came the hail, raining down on the hood like stray golf balls hitting passing vehicles.

Bracing himself to cut the car's engine, the car was suddenly slammed into something thick and [F/N] was rendered unconscious. He was too incapacitated to realize when the totaled car died around him, and when the warmth slowly began fading from the inside. The frost would make the environment lethal in mere minutes. Too bad he didn't wake up in time.

 

[N] had woken up hours ago and had finished her school work, which had been a math review, a due book report, and lastly, her foreign language assignment. Since her father had decided that Tokyo would be their new home, they'd only had a year and a half of practice before finally making the big move. And since Tokyo was in Japan, Japanese had become her default language. Every day they'd study with an online program for several hours to help them gain fluency. Thankfully, she'd picked it up pretty quickly, but she was still nowhere near fluent. Though, she did know enough to know exactly what that jackass had called her yesterday. A little worm. That douche bag!

Her stomach chose that moment to growl, and she decided to heed its feral call.

"What do we have for snacks?" She mused aloud, opening the pantry door to take a peek inside. "Hmmm. Cheetos, doritoes, ooh!~ m&ms~ pringles, chex mix. What to choose first? Badadada... Why not all of them?"

She swiftly grabbed a bowl from the cupboard and all of the aforementioned ingredients and began mixing a bit of each into the bowl, finally sprinkling it off with some m&ms, oreos, and goldfish.

"A feast fit for kings!" She cried triumphantly, and began greedily eating her snack.

A quick glance at the clock told her that it was seven o'clock at night. Her thoughts drifted towards her father. 'I hope papa's okay,' she pondered, so blissfully unaware of the dramatic irony behind those words. And then, 'I hate being alone.'

 

The chilled wind battered the car and swept the snow around like a child throwing confetti. In the front seat of the car, laid [F/N], still unaware of the frigid temperature or the fact that his skin was now tainted pale blue. It was a true miracle that he woke up at all. But by whatever power, he did. His dopey eyes slowly fluttered open and his brain began feeding him the information that it was cold.

'I can't stay here,' he realized. 'I'll freeze to death if I do.'

Shivering, he climbed out of the car and sunk into the snow that was now calf deep. Pulling his coat closer for warmth, he gasped as his gaze saw what the car had crashed into. Gorgeous, black double gates that towered over him by several feet. A spiral of metal white roses decorated the edging and curved downward to meet the middle. Two metal ghoul-like figures rested on top of each door. Whoever had created this masterpiece knew exactly what they were doing. But what those beautiful gates were guarding was the true masterpiece. Scraping the sky with graceful minarets, laid an enormous castle-like mansion within the gates' fortifying walls. Frightening yet beautiful, the same Gothic designs on the gates had been replicated and then extended upon, depicting cruel images of the same ghoul-like creatures devouring humans. The workmanship was enchanting, luring him into a false sense of security. It was both terrifying and lovely. Desperation and his feral instincts for survival made him ignore the depictions. It amazed [F/N] that the storm had even managed to obscure this view at all, let alone entirely. After all, the building was one square from being a citadel.

Climbing onto the hood of the car, he clutched the cool metal of the gates, and began climbing until he was able to hoist himself to the top and then over to the other side. The snow, thankfully, took the brunt of the impact so he was left with only a faint sting. Hobbling up the marble steps, he knocked on the hard oak doors and waited for a reply. To his surprise, the door swung open revealing.............  

no one, actually. 

Taking this as an invitation, he cautiously stepped inside and immediately took note of his surroundings. A glorious fire roared to his right, yet to his left laid a closed door, offering to lead him to uncertainty. Choosing the first as the better option, he squatted near the fire and blew warm air onto his fingers in an weak attempt to warm them. 

"Touka, do you think he's alright?" A young woman's voice whispered in Japanese.

Yet when he looked around, he saw nothing. Fear shot through him. Either the servants were really fond of hide and seek or this place was haunted. He prayed that it was the first. Ghosts had never been his chosen company.

"Sh, Hinami!" Came another woman's hushed voice. "He'll hear you."

"I'm sorry," replied the first girl hurriedly.

"Who's there?" [F/N] asked the mysterious duo.

All he received was silence. Biting his lip, he warily glanced towards the open door, which seemed to be beckoning him towards it. He realized that it hadn't been open a minute ago, yet, here it was, just barely left ajar. The strange girls probably were behind it.

'Maybe they don't wish me harm?' He hopefully thought as he slowly made his way to the door and through to the other side. A grateful sob caught in his throat. There, in the brightened room, nestled on the table like heaven on Earth, in a neatly folded pile, were fresh clothes. A makeshift changing room had been erected and he wasted no time in stripping from his soaked articles and into the new ensemble.

"Thank you so much!" He graciously told the girls as they accepted his gratitude in silence- and with Touka's hand over Hinami's mouth.

That's when Nishiki decided to enter the room. Upon taking one look at the intruder, his sclera darkened and his hunger surged. He hadn't eaten in two weeks and his grip was really starting to loosen. 

"Nishiki, don't," Touka warned aloud, the heat of the situation tossing her caution to the wind. There was no time to speak in whispers.

"But he looks so good. Come on, just a bite," the boy smirked in response.

[F] could only stand there in shock. So these things- these ghosts- had been ghouls before they died. And apparently, they still craved for human flesh, or at least this "Nishiki" fellow did. The other two had been nothing but kind to him, so maybe they were different. He almost laughed at the thought. Ghouls, kind? Everyone knew ghouls couldn't be kind. They didn't have the heart for it.

"Nishiki!" Touka's voice broke through his thoughts suddenly.

[F] didn't even have time to react before a unknown force shoved him to the ground. The ghoul's cold kagune sliced into his legs, causing the man to cry out and deep gashes to form. As he wondered if this was the end, an image of [M] flashed into his head, and then one of [N]. If he died now, [N] would be all alone in this world. Just as he reached his hand out to push his assailant off, he was rewarded with the help of Touka and Hinami, who, with their combined strength, managed to pry Nishiki off. 

"Run," Hinami choked, her voice strained from effort. Clearly she and Touka were having a hard time holding his attacker back.

No further words needed, [F] rushed out of the room and from the safety of the castle. The cold bit at his skin as he ran through the snow. His only thought was on his survival. But just as he reached the gate, from the corner of his eye, a flash of red caught his attention. A rose bush. Belle's wish. He spared one last look at the gate before deciding to make a quick detour. He could climb the fence in a minute, but not right now. Not when [N]'s wish was just in his grasp.

As his fingers broke the stem of the prettiest bloom, an unholy shriek erupted. Surging over the snow like a plague over a nation, a figure bashed [F]'s frail body to the ground. There, looming over him was the scariest sight to behold. And it was the last sight he saw. The heartless, crimson eyes of a ghoul.

~END Chapter Two~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Questions to think about: Why can't [F/N] see Touka, Hinami, or Nishiki? Why can he see the mysterious ghoul (Ayyyyyatoooo)? Are Touka and Hinami really ghosts? 


	3. III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fears, Tears. Alien/Godilla/Yazuka triumvirate?

Twelve days ago...

[F] stirred, his bone creaking and groaning as he awoke and rose. He had been carelessly tossed into a dank room with only a small string of light provided by a single, minute crack in the wall overshadowing him. He couldn't see very much, but he could tell that the room itself was small. Very small, the adjacent walls only a few feet away from squeezing him to death.

The strong scent of dust crept into his nose. Lingering among it was the sickeningly familiar scent of metallic rust. This room hadn't been used for ages, if ever.

'Why do I smell metal?' He couldn't help but wonder.

When that question was answered, he couldn't dismiss the regret that he'd ever asked in the first place. What little amount of natural light the tiny crack in the wall provided was just enough for him to see many dried spatters and puddles of blood, no doubt of past victims who'd fallen into a similar fate.

Unsteadily managing to find his feet, he crept forward with his arms outstretched to guard against the possibility of crashing into a door or a wall. It took him a minute, but eventually his hands gripped the cold steel of mental bars.

"Hello!" He cried, hoping that anybody but that Nishiki fellow would hear him. Cruel, ghoul eyes suddenly clawed their way to the surface of his mind, their owner glaring down at his pathetic body as if he were a bug that could be squashed so easily under his boot. Maybe it's best if that fellow was avoided as well, [F] reasoned.

"Hello!"

He called out a few more times, hoping against hope that perhaps no one could hear him due to being out of earshot, but at any minute, one of those girls from before would walk by... But no. It was hopeless.

 

[N] wasn't fairing too well on her side. Twelve days had passed since her father had gone missing. After the first two, she'd driven down to the police station and had filed a missing persons report, and had only been consoled slightly by the kind policeman who'd given her a hug and promised to find him as fast as he could. But even that couldn't do much to lift her spirits.

She was going out of her mind with worry. There were so many things that could have happened to him, and her mind didn't help by conjuring every unfortunate scenario it could think of.

Some of them were more reasonable than others; he could have gotten into a car accident and perished from his injuries. Some of them were outlandishly unlikely; like the Yakuza teaming up in a triumvirate with Godzilla and the aliens to drain her father's blood to sell on the black market and then exact revenge against the Earth. (YEAH, OFF THE DRUGS, HUN), to some of them being plain mean; him hopping on a plane and going back to [country] without her. Because he didn't need her or want her.

Her once sweet dreams were now seeping with nightmares and every night she'd awaken with frigid sweat dripping down her skin and tears creeping past her eyelids. The bags forming under her eyes became so deep, it looked like she'd slapped purple eye makeup on with a trowel. For fear of the impending terrors, she tried to force herself awake for days. But she could only outrun them for so long and eventually, her exhaustion caught up with her, sending her into a sleep so dreamless, she'd wake up crying tears of relief.

However, as bad as the nightmares were, that wasn't the worst of it. Not by a long shot. That cruel spot was reserved for the panic attacks that seemed to seize her daily, sometimes several times a day. Something about her father's fate remaining unknown and never discovering the truth scared her so witless that all logic would be abandoned. Perhaps the insanity would creep in, cracking at her like a person shattering a mirror. Nothing could be worse than one's own mind forging every unforgivable thought imaginable.

She was losing a parent all over again. Only this time, it was five times worse.

 

Twelve days ago...

[F] didn't give up. He couldn't. Not when the chance to see his beloved daughter was on the horizon. Screaming with all his might, he inched backwards as a loud clatter of an old metal latch unhinging filled the room. The creaky door was slammed open and small footsteps raced down the staircase. With a bit more light filtering through the door, [F] could see that his room wasn't a room at all- it was a tiny jail cell occupying a small space in a rather spacious chamber. 

The footsteps stopped. 

"Touka? Hinami?" He asked the chameleon[s], a tint of excitement sparking his baritone.

"It's just Touka. Hinami's not with me now," she replied, her usually even tone rapid with worry and impatience. "We don't have a lot of time. Ayato's bound to have heard the door creaking and if he catches me or Hinami talking to you, he'll kill you. I managed to get him to spare you earlier, but just barely. And if he think I'm trying to rescue you, he'll kill you to spite me. I'm sure you have a million questions, but I will have to answer them later."

He scoffed. "I'll say. Who's Ayato? And why are you and Hinami helping me anyway? I thought ghouls were supposed to only have their mind on where their next meal is coming from, not helping it to escape."

"Later," she  replied sternly, and disappeared (so to speak), footsteps ascending back up the staircase and the latch re-clicking into place.

 

Thirteen days. This couldn't go on for much longer. Her sanity was three clicks away from plummeting into the chasm below. Somehow, whatever the reason and with whatever hope she had left, she managed to keep it from falling into the abyss. Maybe it was her will to find her father that kept her candle burning. Maybe it was her fighting spirit that gave her a chance. Whatever it was, she'd hold onto it until she could see him with her own eyes and feel him wrapped up in her arms.

And then came the insanity.

 

[F] paced the floor, waiting for Touka's arrival. It had been many hours since Touka had disappeared. Night had fallen, this fact made blatant by the tiny, pitch black crack that had once filled the room with a hopeful light. The cell was now entirely dark. The dark had never bothered him before, yet in a mansion full of ghouls, it was disturbing.  

The same loud chain rattling as before was heard and [F] felt his face involuntarily twitch into a smile. Touka was back and his questions would soon be answered.

"Is that you, Touka? I thought I'd have to wait for tomorrow to come around," He cried, clutching at the bars.

"Oh? What are you waiting for?" Asked a voice.

[F] froze. This voice was too deep to be Touka's or Hinami's. And it didn't sound like Nishiki's either. The only other person in the house he knew of hadn't spoken to him, so he could only guess that this was the same monster who had thrown him in here. It seemed like a safe enough bet, though.

"You're not trying to escape, are you?" That mocking voice continued. "It'd be a shame if I had to break your legs. I hate eating broken humans. Besides it's half the fun when they struggle."

[F] had to fight the bile back down his throat. This boy was seriously twisted. 

"So you're Ayato," he gave a wry chuckle. "Touka told me meeting you wouldn't end well. What are you going to do? Kill me?"

Ayato smirked. "Eventually, yes, but before I kill you, I want information. I want to know why you came here and how you found this place."

[F] sighed. "I had a meeting with a client. I'm a lawyer. On my way back home, a terrible blizzard swarmed the area, and the next thing I know I'm climbing out of my car to several feet of snow. It was so cold and I saw your castle, so I came to seek shelter, at least until the storm stopped. I didn't mean to intrude."

"Why did you pick that flower?" Ayato pressed on, cocking his head ever so slightly.

"My daughter loves them. I always bring one back whenever I go on a trip," the older man replied.

"Oh, a daughter?" Ayato chuckled. "There may be hope for you yet, old man. Tell me, how old is this daughter of yours?"

"She's seventeen next [Birth Month]. Why do you want to know?" [F] hesitantly asked.

In the minutes they had been talking, [F]'s eyes had started to adjust to the darkness enough to see the boy was smiling, his sclera flashing crimson as the predator in him feasted on a thought. He unsteadily took a step back, fear coursing through him at the thought of becoming this monster's meal.

"Congratulations. You get to live a bit longer," were Ayato's departing words before he turned and vanished into the shadows, leaving a quaking man to ponder the last few moments.

 

Ayato sighed as he closed the door. Contrary to that man's belief, his eyes hadn't flared because he was hungry (he'd already fed on a man earlier that day), but rather, because they had been doing that a lot more lately, one of the many unpleasant side effects of his capture by the CCG.

Ever since the CCG had experimented on him, he had this insatiable urge to kill and eat every male he saw, even other ghouls. The only thing that surprised him, is for whatever reason, his appetite towards girls had transitioned slightly, being less gluttonous and more.... lustful, like an animal with an intense need to mate. Just a few days ago, he had bumped into a pretty young woman and had all but jumped her. He had no idea what the needles they had injected into him had done, but they obviously hadn't changed him for the better.

'I'm like a f*cking animal,' he sighed inwardly, 'even more so than I already was.'

His case wasn't the only one. Touka, Hinami, and Nishiki had all been shot with a new type of bullet the CCG had designed to make them spontaneously combust, only it hadn't worked that way (after all, before the men died, they'd been so haughty that their new toys would kill all ghouls). Maybe there had been a mix up with guns, but whatever arsenal they brought made those three clowns invisible instead. 

So when his older sister had come knocking with Hinami in tow, he'd begrudgingly opened his door (not because he'd ever want to help his sister, the cheeky tsundere). Nishiki, too had joined, needing some place to hang low until they could figure out a cure, though not without some sort of compensation. Because Ayato didn't trust himself enough not kill someone in broad daylight, Nishiki would trick people into an isolated place, where Ayato could finish them off. That way he wouldn't have those jackass Doves after him. At least not for this.

Ayato huffed, his thoughts switching to his hostage. The man had a daughter. Just the very mention of her had sparked excitement in him. Surely, if she was dumb enough, she'd come looking for her precious father and if he could find this place, hopefully she could too. Maybe if he gave into these urges, it would change him back to normal. 

Ayato clenched his fists. He could only hope.

~END Chapter Three~


	4. IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [N] decides to take things into her own hand. Meanwhile, [F] is being interrogated by Ayato.

The insanity coursing through [N]'s veins wasn't mental, but impulsive. Thirteen days with no sign of life was far too long for her to sit back and twiddle her thumbs. If her father was lost, she find him and bring him back home. It hadn't been too much of a hassle for her to phone his boss, Mr. Yamamoto, to explain the situation. He had responded graciously, given her his coordinates, and even wished her luck with a hint of an encouraging smile in his tone.

So with that bit of knowledge, she packed her bags; several changes of clothes, a months' worth of bottled water that they'd already had since they weren't used to the water, a decent supply of food, and a couple hundred dollars from the emergency fund in case she ran out. As soon as she was finished loading up the car, she was ready to go.

 

[N] followed the course Mr. Yamamoto had given her with precision, stopping occasionally to relieve herself. Japan was so beautiful. She almost smiled. If this was any other day and her father was the one in the driver's seat, she would be enjoying the scenery, but as beautiful as Japan's landscape was, she had a job to do.

A stop sign appeared along with a fork in the road and a decision had to be made. Veering the car off to the left, she chose that path and followed it until the same snow that had snatched her father, had her too.

 

Ayato scaled down the stairs softly, like a cat trailing its prey. Having been unsatisfied by simply one interrogation, he decided to play with the man some more. Maybe he could find out a bit more about this mysterious daughter of his. Or maybe he could make the man wet himself. Either way, it seemed a plus.

The man glanced up when he heard the door and sighed, drooping lower when he saw his visitor. Disappointment sunk in. "Oh, it's you," he muttered.

Ayato crept over to the bars until he was towering over his prisoner. "I'd watch your tone, old man. You're only alive right now because I'm allowing you to be. Don't forget that."

[F] seemed to lose some of his resolve. If this creature was human, he'd think the threat was harmless. However, he was dealing with no mortal man. Ghouls went by entirely different rules. Deciding not to push him, he instead respectfully asked, "What can I do for you, Mr. Ayato?"

Ayato seemed momentarily surprised before a sick amusement commandeered his face. "Calling me mister now, are you? That's better. Now just like yesterday, I'm going to ask you questions and you're going to answer them. If you don't, the price is simple; you die."

He nodded, feeling entirely helpless. "What do you want to know, Mr. Ayato?"

"On a scale of one to ten, how pretty would you say your daughter is?" The boy cocked his head.

A tick mark appeared on [F]'s forehead. What did his daughter's looks have to do with anything? What did it matter to the heartless ghoul anyway? "She's a twelve, you bastard."

Ayato shot the man a glare, unamused by his supposed wit. "Did I say one to twelve? No, I believe I said 'one to ten.' And be mindful of your tone. That's your last warning before I take a limb."

The older man shuddered. Momentarily, he'd forgotten where he was and just what he was talking to. It wouldn't happen again.

"She's pretty, probably an 8.3 by society's standard," he replied, smiling as he visualized an image of his daughter. She was beaming, out on a summer day with the sun glistening off her [golden, bronze, raven] hair. Her eyes were sparkling in the warm weather and the sundress she donned swayed in the wind. She looked happy.

"An eight now? I wonder why it went down," Ayato spoke mockingly.

"I'm her father. Of course she's beautiful to me," [F] broke in. "What's your next question?"

Ayato smirked. "Is she a virgin?"

 

[N] couldn't see anything. What had been a normal snowfall in July had escalated into a full fledged weather war, with each snowflake battling its rival in a whitewashed fury. Slamming on the brakes, the car skidded to a halt as gracefully as the snow would allow.

Groaning, she unbuckled her seat belt and slung her bag's strap over her shoulder and swung the door open, immediately becoming amassed into the frenzied bedlam. The frost bit at her face like a feral dog attacking its victim. Biting her lip against the cold, she raised her forearm to shield herself from, at least, some of the cold and trudged through the frigid mush at her feet. 

The wind whistled as it swept around her, grabbing and pulling at her clothes, attempting to rid her of her surviving warmth. Pushing through it, her eyes caught sight of a shard of black amongst the snow. Her father's company car.

Rushing towards it with new found energy, she reached a slight eye that allowed her to see the totaled front. She froze, her breath puffing out silky smoke as her breathing quickened. She'd been right. He'd gotten into a car accident. All the variables she'd been so afraid of, and this is the one destiny chose. Was her father even alive inside the car?

Fearing the worst and bracing herself for what might come, she desperately tore the door open. What she found was better than what she imagined and she allowed herself to released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. No broken body lay within the vehicle. No crushing reality. No orphaned at eighteen. Not even a hint of blood. He was alright. He had to be alright.

She closed the door and scrambled back out into the icy weather, seeking the ground for clues. From what she could make out, the only footprints in the snow were hers, and even those prints were disappearing thanks to the flurry. By this, her father must have gotten out and made his way somewhere. But where?

Then her eyes met those onix gates and the staggering vision left, in all its glory, towering behind them. Bingo. She made her way the castle, completely unaware of the path she set in motion for two unknowing individuals.

 

[F] sat in shock, his hands visibly clenching at the boy's words. Had it been any other bastard, he would have set the punk straight with a sexual harassment lawsuit, forcibly teaching the punk a lesson. But in front of him was a ghoul, a fleshing eating monster with no soul or any sense of morals. Right and wrong, he'd have no understanding of.

He gritted his teeth as he choked back his spite. "Mister, why is my daughter's sex life any concern of yours?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" The ghoul questioned as if the answer was the most obvious thing in the world. 

Ayato knew he had no knowledge of his plan concerning his daughter and if he figured it out, he had no doubt that even a pathetic man like him would try to bargain his daughter's way free. It would most definitely be entertaining to watch. But then, so would letting him hang.

"Well?" Ayato said, crossing his arms.

The other male bit out begrudgingly, "Yes."

"That's good to hear," the boy spoke absent-mindedly, a far off look about him. 

If [F] didn't know the creature was a demon in sheep's skin, he would have thought the boy looked almost innocent. Completely incapable of all the threats he so readily offered to carry out, and very well could.

If he wasn't scared before, he certainly was now. Whatever this creature was planning for his daughter, he certainly didn't have her best interests at heart. What bothered him the most was the secrecy that draped this boy in an unforgiving aura. Even his words were shrouded with mystery. It was hard to tell what he was thinking. He watched the younger male for a second more, trying to gauge what he could be thinking.

Finally, he broke the silence. "Where does my daughter fit in all this?"

Ayato was not pleased to be harshly ripped from his reverie by this inferior individual. So many dirty things he had been doing to a image of a pretty girl, which he had been surprised to find bore a striking resemblance to that clumsy wench from the other day, only to be rudely interrupted by little more than the male weasel who'd taken part in her creation.

"You found this place easily enough, didn't you?" He sneered in annoyance. "Hopefully your daughter isn't as stupid as you."

Just as he was done saying this, a girl's voice called out, echoing through the large halls. 

"Hello?" 

~END Chapter Four~


	5. V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ayato and [N] finally meet. It does not go well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember: hearts, comments, and critiques are greatly welcomed and appreciated! Alright, guys, see you for the next chapter!

[N] could hardly believe her eyes. The room she walked into was a great improvement heat-wise, compared to the storm brewing outside. The entrance had led her to a cozy little room with a crimson theme and a raging inferno held safely in an enormous fireplace.

She stepped closer to it, hoping to warm up a bit while she scanned the area for what to do next. Assuming her father had come here and assuming the owner wasn't a deranged killer, would he room him? And if so, where?

Her eyes inspected the room for a clue, finally resting on a door. Should she go through it or should she wait here until someone stumbled across her path?

She had already wasted the past thirteen days waiting and she wouldn't waste one more. Mind made up, she tugged her bag closer and stalked confidently into the other room, stopping briefly to cautiously peek through to see if anyone was there. 

Assured that there was no one, she continued her search, opening doors and peering through them. After the thirtieth one, she began to lose hope. The only things she'd come across were nine bedrooms, two kitchens, a ball room, and a library. All empty. No people, just layers of dust and occasionally a spatter of something that resembled a bloodstain.

Was this place even occupied? 

Thoroughly creeped out, the only thought that pushed her to continue was the prospect of finding her father.

"Hello!" She called out, cupping her hands to increase the modulation. "Hello? Can anybody hear me? I've come for my father."

She walked up and down the corridor as she continued repeating her message, hoping that someone would come bearing her father at their side. After a few seconds, in a strange form, she had her wish granted.

 

Ayato froze as soon as he heard the girl's voice. From where [F] sat in front of him, he saw the older man tense. Quick to shake his surprise off, Ayato shot him an amused glance.

"What did I tell you?" He boasted. "It was only a matter of time. Now stay here and be a good boy while I go fetch her."

"Leave her alone, you bastard!" [F] screamed as he clutched helplessly at the bars.

Either Ayato was too far away to hear, or he didn't give a damn. Dropping his head against his cage, he closed his eyes and begged his daughter to forgive him for what was to come. There was no way they were both getting out alive.

 

[N] paused. She heard footsteps climbing up stairs. The sound was faint and she was unsure of whether someone was getting closer or further away from her, so she called out one last time.

"Hello?"

Relief flooded her when the footsteps grew louder. They sounded several yards away, but they were close nonetheless. Quite a ways up the corridor, a doorknob turned and [N] found herself walking toward the direction of the noise.

Due to the dark surrounding them, she could only faintly make out a figure, who was busy closing the door. They hadn't yet noticed her. Not wanting to surprise them with her sudden presence, she gently cleared her throat.

"Hello? I'm looking for my father. Have you, by any chance, seen him?" She hesitantly tried in Japanese, fearful she had gotten a pronunciation or a word wrong. And if she had, who knows what she could have said?

The figure turned around and regarded her for a minute. She was unaware that the ghoul eyes this boy in front of her possessed were perfectly capable of seeing her as if it were daylight surrounding them instead of the darkened shade. Ayato was pleasantly surprised that, indeed, it was a small world. This was the same wench from a few weeks ago.

[N], on her side of things, was dreading the silence. Had she mispronounced something, after all? And if so, was it so bad that the figure couldn't find the words to reply? Had she accidently insulted them? Or maybe what she'd said was entirely gibberish and they were trying to figure out what she meant.

Finally, the figure spoke. "He's here. Follow me and I'll take you to him."

With that, Ayato began walking away.

[N] breathed a sigh of relief, happy with the knowledge of two things; she hadn't insulted the figure and the figure was a boy.

Happily, she followed after him, sticking close so as not to get left in the dark. When eventually they breached the staircase, Ayato even offered her a hand so she wouldn't trip down the stairs, something he wouldn't have done had their first encounter not been her so clumsily walking into him.

"He's just through there," he said for the first time since their meeting, gesturing to the large door.

[N] frowned. "Are you not going in with me?"

"Oh, I am. I just thought you'd want to know that we've arrived. Now are you going to open to the door or are you going to stand there all day, mouth gaping like a fish?"

She puffed her cheeks out from his rudeness and swung the door open. Unlike the corridor they had come from, this place had a bit of light flickering from a candle Ayato had brought in a day or two ago. He claimed to like [F]'s fearful expressions better when they were lit up.

All of [N]'s excitement fizzled out. Her father stared back at her from a prison cell, horror clear on his face. Beside her, Ayato closed the door and laughed.

"This wasn't the reunion you were expecting, was it?"

All hope fleeted. Too horrified upon seeing her father caged, [N] fought the swarm of emotion coursing through her. She was disgusted, even pained, at seeing him locked up like a common criminal. She fought hard to steady herself as her heart erupted into furious thumping, making it hard to breath normally. 

Her father barely resembled the man she'd known before he'd left. His hair was greasy and unkempt, his skin pale and sickly. His left pant leg was caked with dried crimson patches and he was much skinnier than when she'd last seen him, as if he hadn't eaten for days. His eyes that had always held so much life now resembled what Ayato had made him. Broken. He looked nothing more than an animal.

This was sick.

Running to the bars, she gripped at her father's hands and felt relieved that human flesh and bone embraced her touch. [F] offered his daughter a weak smile and reached a hand out to cup her cheek.

"[N]," he croaked, "Run! They're ghouls. If you don't get out, they'll kill you."

Instead of spurring her into action, his words left her fearfully paralyzed. Behind her, she heard a snicker. The boy that had led her here walked over to their affectionate display and, like a pitiful illusion, broke it.

"What have I told you about disobedience?" He snarled, wrenching the man forward against the bars by his collar.

The man gave a soft groan as his face hit the metal harshly. Blood dripped down from his nostril, painting a disgusting red line from where the brunt of the impact hit. Ayato paid no mind as he began ramming [F]'s face into the bars over and over again.

 Beside them, [N] was shaken out of her paralysis, and jumped into the frenzy, gripping at Ayato's wrists as tears of frustration flooded her eyelids, causing the violent scene to become blurry.

"Stop it! Please, just stop!" She cried, as she tried in vain to put an end to the display.

Ayato only shrugged her off and whirled on her, ghoul eyes bared. She shuddered under his intense gaze, horrified and yet, relieved that such a hungry gaze was now cornering her in place of her father, and even more disgusted that this was the same person who'd she'd encountered days earlier.

Ayato smirked. "Are you surprised, little girl?" He mocked, enjoying the look of despair that now flooded her brow. She looked little more than a child who was watching a horrific scene live. So innocent, and yet, so helpless.

Shakily clambering to her feet, she stood her ground against him, her gaze turning noticeably cold toward him, as opposed to a shy faun. She seemed much more composed than she had mere seconds ago.

"No," she spat. "I'm not surprised at all, you monster."

A pregnant silence ensued. [F] could only watch helplessly, fear curling his stomach in knots. Ayato stared at the girl, silently regarding her, trying to gauge her thought process. What was she thinking, talking to a ghoul like that? Especially one of his caliber? She had balls, he'd give her that.

Finally, he spoke, "Tell me, what do you know of the Black Rabbit?" 

"I don't know what you're asking me," she admitted honestly.

Ayato's smile only widened. "I guess you've never gone up against an Aogiri executive, then, have you? You don't have to answer that, by the way. It's written all over your face, little girl." 

"If I'm supposed to be scared, I'm not," she spat back, her small frame shaking from over-bubbling ire. The small pit she kept inside could only hold so much, and with so much provocation, that askew amount was threatening to spill.

[N] was a bit more surprised when, suddenly, he had her dangling in the air by her collar. Momentarily dazed, she snapped out of her reverie and began kicking at him, her hands clawing desperately at the grip holding her up. Ayato grinned up at her, thoroughly enjoying her new found terror.

"So much for not being afraid, you weak, little worm. You almost had me fooled," he said.

"Put me down, you jackass!" She snapped. 

 

From where [F] stood within his cage, he could only try to reach his arms out to help, but the bars restricted him and forced him to endure this nightmare.

Finally, saved by boredom, Ayato relinquished his hold on the girl's collar and watched as she gracelessly hit the floor, sprawling her across the hard tiles like a cat batting a glass cup from the table because it's owners were watching -and it's funny. Not a pretty sight, nor a pretty sound.

Glaring up at him, [N] scoffed. "Would it kill you to have put me down gently?" 

"Weakling," Spat Ayato, glowering right back at her.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Now are you going to let my father and I go, or what?" She snarked, pushing herself to her feet and sternly resting her hands on her hips.

This little human meant business, or at least, thinks she did.

Ayato remained silent, the cogs turning in his head. This girl was so difficult to deal with: proclaiming herself unafraid before cowering face to face with a ghoul and then sassing him again when freed, as if he hadn't just threatened her. She didn't seem to give up or know when to pick her battles and it was that spunk that made her so interesting. And she was pretty, too, so that was a plus.

As Ayato formulated a plan, [N] began to think about her side of the situation. Her father was a prisoner held captive by a ghoul, who more likely than not was planning on eating both of them. This was just like that day, all those many years ago. The day she'd lost her mom and effectively had her world torn apart.

Involuntarily feeling her hands clench at her sides, she bit the inside of her lip. There was no point tearing up in front of him. Observing Ayato for the past ten minutes had been long enough to tell her that he probably would have just laughed at her misery instead. Maybe he'd even torture and murder her father just to hurt her.

Shoving that thought down, she gritted her teeth. "Well?"

Huffing, Ayato allowed himself to be dragged back to reality. "I'll tell you what, little worm; I'll make a deal with you."

"What kind of deal?" [N] asked hesitantly, her large, doe eyes shaking with inquiry and curiosity. Such a dangerous mix for a dangerous question. 

Making this deal could be just as equivalent to making one with the devil, if not worse. Ayato's face was hard and unreadable, as if it suddenly had become a stone carving in the last several minutes. He simply gazed at her.

"Let me ask you one thing: would you dare take his place, you little worm?"

"No!" [F] cried before she could answer, rattling the bars against the hinges in his desperation. "I don't care if you kill me, but leave her alone."

"Papa!" [N] gasped.

Ayato growled at him, his sclera flaring black. He shot the man a warning glance. "Don't tempt me. I'd more than happy to end your pitiful existence, but [N] is the one who gets to choose your fate. Not me."

"What?" [N] said, her eyes wide and fearful, "Of course I don't want you to kill my father! What kind of a question is that?" 

Ayato took a step towards her, causing her to nervously step back. "Then you choose to stay? I'll let your father live, if you agree willingly."

"So you'll kill him if I say no," it wasn't a question.

Ayato shot her a smug glance."Good girl, you're catching on quickly."

After a moment's thought, he had his answer. "Fine," she agreed brokenly, feeling her resolve leaving her along with the sickening crack of her heart being broken. "I'll stay, but you can't hurt him."

"Belle, no!" Her father raged from the inside of his cage, which soon would become his daughter's. "I can't allow this!"

[N] gathered what was left of her broken heart and walked over to the bars that separated her from her father. 

"It's not your decision, papa," she said, looking at him sadly. "I'm sorry, papa, but this is mine, and I've made my choice."

Her father stroked her hair as tears blossomed in her eyes. It hurt him to see how scared she was, but she would surely have to be brave for what was to come next. A farewell was inevitable and should she survive this ordeal, there was little to no chance of ever seeing each other again.

"I love you, baby girl, and I always will," [F] said, feeling a few tears of his own cascade down his face.

"I love you, too, papa," she replied, wrapping her arms around him as best as could with the bars blocking her range of motion.

From where he stood observing the pitiful humans, Ayato growled, seeing painful images of his own past. Displeased by the reminder, he wrenched the cage open and grabbed [F] by the collar and dragged him from his cell. Sensing harmful intent, [N] rushed forward to aid her father, but it was too late. Ayato shoved him to the floor and delivered a harsh blow to the head, knocking the man immediately unconscious.

He dragged the man's body to the entrance as the man's daughter stood frozen, forced to watch. Ayato opened the door and shoved [F]'s body into the stairwell [N] herself had come down not twenty minutes ago. As the door closed and he disappeared from view, in the safety of herself, she allowed her legs to finally give out and collapsed on the cold, unforgiving floor, where she laid limply, so painfully numb.

~END Chapter Five~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, just a quick announcement: when I'm done writing this story, I've decided to end it with trivia. Trivia about story, to be specific. I decided this weeks ago when it occurred to me that a lot of funny/interesting things happened when writing this story, so why not share it? So after the epilogue, I've decided to dedicate to trivia its own chapter. Of course, no one has to read it, but I love trivia, and I severely doubt I'm alone on this. So, this wasn't like a major announcement or anything, just something to look forward to for the people who'll read it. Thanks for reading! Have a good night/day, depending on your time period! Bye!


	6. VI

Ayato was very careless in his treatment of [F]. He hauled the man up the staircase, barely exerting any effort, despite the rather noticeable size difference, but then, only one of them was a ghoul. He sighed and shot a weary glance towards his former captive. Making an executive decision, he went to find Touka, who was not as far away as he thought.

From where she sat perched at the top of the stairs, she had been listening to the entire exchange, from the moment he'd found [N] to the time she'd struck that terrible deal with him.

"Touka?" Ayato whispered harshly, smelling her but not being able to see her.

Sighing, she decided to humor him and clambered down to his level. "Yes, Ayato, what can I do for you?"

Her younger brother scowled as a thought occurred to him. "Eavesdropping again, were you? Mind your business, Touka. This has nothing to do with you."

"Is there anything I can do for you, Ayato?" She reiterated instead, not bothering to rise to bite at the bait. She was smarter than that.

He shoved [F]'s body toward the place her voice had rang from and commanded her to drop him off at the nearest town, and while Touka was slightly taken aback by his surprising consideration, she reminded herself that it was simply part of deal he had struck with the girl.

As she made to complete his order, Ayato stopped her for one last warning, "Oh, and, Touka? Remember one thing: if you hadn't brought Hinami with you, I would have left you out there to rot. Now go. You disgrace me with your presence."  
   
As she left this time, pulling [F] tenderly behind her, she was relieved to hear him turn around and make his way down the stairs. Her pity for the girl overwhelmed her. Ayato always had a way of twisting even the most innocent of things. She could only hope the girl would make it out of this alive and in working condition. Hopefully, unscathed.

 

Pathetic.

Laying on the ground unconscious, was the human girl. Her face was tear-stained and red. A normal person would probably be worried. Ayato wasn't normal, nor was he your average person. He simply sighed and slugged the girl over his shoulder, toting her up the stairs and into the nearest bedroom and not too gently dumping her on the bed. She didn't even stir.

Ayato swept a bit of her hair from her face and admired her. For a human, she was pretty, [although the makeup she had applied earlier was smudged, with discolored lines painting the trails of her tears. Her mascara was blurred, causing her eyes to be lined with black ink.

He found himself chuckling. Pretty enough indeed for her natural looks to shine through behind her now clownish appearance.

Still attempting to elevate his laughter, he walked into the attached bathroom and grabbed some toilet paper, running it under the faucet for a few seconds so it was damp instead of soaked. Once he was satisfied, he returned to the previous room and began gently wiping her face of the ruined makeup. It took a few minutes and a few more damp cloths before she was free of it.]

She most definitely was beautiful, just a bit whiny and somewhat annoying. Her love and devotion for her father was laughable. Ayato would have his fill of her before eating her. His eyes grazed her body again. Or who knows, maybe if she was useful enough, she could find herself in a permanent position. Ayato felt himself get a little hard, but shoved the feeling away with a glare. He despised people who took advantage of others sexually. The girl was asleep. Now was not the time to ravage her body. No, he'd have her when she was awake.

Pulling the covers back, he moved her body under the blankets before crawling in on the opposite side and facing the wall opposite her. He'd figure out what to do with her in the morning and when he did, she'd be sure to regret her decision to stay.

'Too bad for you, little girl,' Ayato thought as he drifted off into a peaceful slumber. The first one he'd had in ages.

 

The first thing [N] noticed when she woke up was the unfamiliar room she was in. Hadn't she been in a cell? And even more strange, the man who had cruelly imprisoned her father and now her, laid next to her, blissfully unaware of his surroundings in his sleep. Afraid to move, yet not wanting to stay in his presence- albeit unconscious or not- she carefully attempted to maneuver her way from the bed without waking him. Who knows what he'd do to her if she woke him? She didn't want to find out.

Her first foot met the floor, then cautiously, her second. Just as she thought she was out of the clear and was about to swing the rest of weight off the bed, a hand shot out and grabbed her forearm, roughly dragging her backwards. She screamed in shock and whipped around fearfully, coming face to face with an angered ghoul. Ayato glared at her.

"What the hell are you doing?" He bit out suspiciously, eyes narrowing. "You weren't doing anything stupid, were you?"

"No," [N] replied, trying to wrench her arm from his grasp, almost becoming desperate in the endeavor. "I wasn't trying to wake you."

"You're avoiding my question."

She shook her head. "I wasn't, Ayato. I promise. Please, let go. You're hurting me."

He sighed, his grasp relinquishing finally. "Weakling. Are you so pathetic that that tiny pinch hurt you?"

That "tiny pinch," as he so nicely put it, had her forearm entirely red and irritated, hand marks clearly imprinted upon her body. She glared back at him as she rubbed her wounded arm. 

"Yes," she snapped. "Gripping me with your talons is bound to hurt, you asshat!"

"Watch your tone!" He barked.

She wanted to say more, question him, but instead chose to extend her life by pursing her lips. Biting her tongue, she said no more. There was a clear dominant individual here, and unfortunately, it wasn't her. Ayato seemed pleased by her submission, and smiled mockingly at her.

"Silly little girl, thinking she'll challenge me."

'Stupid little twat, thinking I'll let you win,' she thought bitterly.

Despite all her tough words and bold actions, she was terrified. She stood in the middle of a raging battlefield with him on the other side battling with all his forces  while leaving her the sole survivor of her slaughtered clan, holding up a measly piece of cardboard in a weak attempt at putting up a facade or sheltering what was left of what he hadn't torn down. Something like cardboard was so small and pathetic that she would be only able to use it to fend off one attack and if any more, she would think herself lucky. Even just the wind would knock it down. What chance did she have against him, if there ever was one?

She couldn't hide nor ignore the disparity that hung between their two strengths. As much as it frightened her to admit it, in an outward brawl, he'd be the obvious victor, taking her down and killing her as easily as a human would swat a pesky fly. Against him physically, she'd have no chance. And while that was true, where he excelled in the field of battle, she excelled in the field of knowledge. She only needed to outsmart him once and then she was home-sweet-home.

Drawing in a shaky breath, she just smiled at him. "Whatever you say, Ayato."

~END Chapter Seven~


	7. VIII

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [N] annoys Ayato, who is super tsundere-ish, so pretty much the same as always.

The silence between them was deafening. With such a shaky declaration, she had waged a quiet war. The bombshells wouldn't fall so silently. Ayato's eyes narrowed, his physique staunch with energy and power, as if expecting her to jump attack him, preparing himself for a defense if need be.

Sluggishly, [N] rubbed her eyes and stood up, yawning. "Hey, crazy question. I don't suppose you have any human food, do you?"

Ayato shot her a look that all but asked if she was an idiot. His next remark reflected such, causing the [ginger/blonde/brunette/raven-haired/etc.] girl to scowl at the abrasive insult. "Just how stupid are you, weasel? Why the hell would I have that shit? I do look human to you?"

Instead of taking offense, she chose to mock him with a chuckle. "Actually..."

He set his harsh gaze upon her. "Finish that sentence and you'll die regretting it," he snapped.

Ayato stood and grabbed the girl's forearm, roughly dragging her from the room and up the stairs. With the daylight's arrival hours earlier, light glistened in through the windowed ceiling, greatly illuminating the corridor where her unfortunate meeting with Ayato had transpired. No sign of the prior darkness could be found, only leaving the knowledge that when night fell again, the hall would be blanketed by the sinister haunting of the castle's inhuman presence along with the individuals inside it.

"So, where are you taking me?" [N] broke the silence.

"The kitchen," he answered simply.

She blanched, her blood freezing within her and crackling at her insides. Did that mean...? "Ayato, you're not going to-"

"Eat you?" He spared her a glance, grinning wickedly at her, making sure to show off his teeth as a chuckle escaped him. "You need food. I need to find you a babysitter. Touka or Hinami will do. Now is that all for your idiotic inquiries?"

She almost closed her mouth, before two names struck her. "Who are Touka and Hinami? Are ghouls they you like?"

"We need to work on your Japanese," Ayato said, frowning. "The latter sentence was barely understandable. Don't bother me about Touka and Hinami. You'll meet them in five seconds. There's no point in telling you now."

His rebuke quieted her. The rest of the trip to the kitchen was silent. When they arrived, Ayato released her and began to smell the air, seeking out the scent of his sister or his friend, when the gruesome sight of a human corpse being ripped apart and slowly devoured by an unknown force made it unnecessary. It was Hinami. Her scent made it apparent.

The invisible girl stopped eating when she saw [N]'s horrified expression. Written in her eyes, Hinami could see an unforgotten trauma. [N] closed her eyes, her breath hitching in shaky rasps of air. Pulling her arms in close to her body, she sank to the floor in a close folded crouch and buried her face into her knees. Ayato raised an eyebrow at the pathetic display. Hinami, though they couldn't see her face, felt concern pour into her already saddened disposition.

Wrapped within her own mind, [N] saw the ghoul devouring her mother again and felt like the same little girl she was then, hopeless and unable to do anything but cry; unable to do anything when the monster had approached her and stroked her cheek, or when he had mockingly promised to keep her alive, only to drown her in her misery. Pathetic.

"Hey," barked a harsh voice. Pulling her head from her knees, she made herself meet Ayato's eyes. He was crouched in front of her, scalerae cruelly gazing at her with flurries of black and red. "Get up and pull yourself together, otherwise I'll eat you right now."

Shuddering, she could see it in his eyes; he meant it and he would if she didn't pull herself together. Pulling herself to her feet shakily, she winced when his hand came forward and flicked her forehead. It hadn't hurt, but the gentleness from the gesture is what scared her.

"Are done acting like an idiot, or can I get on to the introductions now?" He bit out sarcastically. Sadistic  amusement gleamed behind his now human eyes, the only remnants of the ghoul he really was.

"Get on with the introductions," she retorted, pleased that her voice hadn't wavered towards the end of the sentence. It was as if her panic attack hadn't happened in the first place.

Scuffling from the corner of her eye caught her attention. The invisible ghoul was now dragging the corpse away. The door seemingly opened by itself and hung open for a few seconds until the body was entirely out of view and the door was closed behind it. Tiny footsteps made their away across the room and stood in front of her. There was a brief pause, as if a customary bow had taken place before the emptiness was filled by a soft voice.

"I'm Hinami," the air spoke, gentle with the slight lull of a whisper; soft and feminine. "I'm so sorry to have frightened you. I didn't know I'd be having guests. Are you okay?"

Pulling a few loose strands of hair behind her ear, [N] returned the bow, and replied, "I'm fine. It's no trouble. I'm sorry I reacted like that. I'm [N]. It's nice to meet you."

"Great, now that you've been acquainted, I need you to watch her for a while, Hinami," Ayato broke in, staring at the space his nose told him she was, before giving her a nod and stalking from the room.

Hating Ayato's presence, but feeling uncomfortable in void of it, [N] offered the air a weary look. Her trust issues swarmed with a fierce vigor, battering her mind with the scene that had caused the mental attack and the reminder of its original horror. This girl was a ghoul, so regardless of how nice (and somewhat cute) she sounded, she'd still have to be careful. One wrong move, and she could wind up dead.

Then, the other part of her logic swatted that away as nonsense. If this girl were really all that dangerous, Ayato wouldn't have left her with her. Wouldn't it make more sense to kill her himself instead of leaving it to Hinami? Unless, Hinami was his girlfriend. If that were the case, then maybe that'd make sense. Maybe he'd been trying to care for his lover. But then that theory proved false: Hinami had already been eating when they'd arrived.

[N] shook her head with a sigh. Great, now her mind was whirling out of control! In the end, it all came back to the facts. This girl was a ghoul. This girl was dangerous. [N] would have to watch her back.

From where she was, Hinami uttered a chuckle. "I know he's a bit abrupt and sometimes kind of mean, but he's actually not as mean as he makes himself out of be."

"You sound like you're really close to him. How long have you known him?" [N] managed hesitantly. If Ayato was right about one thing, it was that she most definitely needed to work on bettering her Japanese.

"I've known him for a few years," Hinami replied. A thought struck her. "Why don't I give you a tour? There are a few rooms I'm not allowed in, and you should probably watch out for Nishiki, but you should get to know your way around here if you're staying with us."

Hinami's words settled into the girl's ears like the gentle swarm of buzzing bees, trilling amongst her many thoughts. A tour of the mansion would probably provide her with a much needed landscape of the place's interior should the worst fall and she'd have to find a hidey hole of sorts. Content to nod her agreement, [N] allowed Hinami to hesitantly reach forward and grasp her wrist and gently give it a tug, ushering her in the proper direction.

"This way," Hinami spoke. "How about I show you the gaming room first?"

"Okay. Lead the way," the human girl agreed.

As they walked along the corridor, [N] tried her hardest to organize her thoughts, which weighed with many unsolved questions. Her curiosity flared, beckoning to be answered. Inquiries like, "Who's Nishiki?" and "What does Ayato want from me?"

Voicing the former thought, she decided to leave the latter for another time. She found it simpler to ask one  question now and have another answered later.

Musing for thought, Hinami finally spoke, albeit hesitantly and with a slight edge. "It's better you don't find out. Not unless he's full, that is. There's also another ghoul here named Touka. She's Ayato's older sister 

and she's pretty nice, though she's kind of a tsundere. Sort of like Ayato. You'll have to wait 'til later to meet her, though. She's not here right now. 

"Oh," was all she replied, storing the knowledge away for later. 

So Ayato had a sister. What was their relationship like? Hinami had said that she was a tsundere and it wasn't hard for her to figure out Ayato was one as well. It had been obvious from their first encounter that sunny afternoon in a crowded city full of ghouls and humans alike.

Sighing, [N]'s thoughts turned to that of her father. She hadn't heard anything about him from Ayato since their unfortunate departure. Was he alright, fairing well wherever he was? Where was he anyway? Had Ayato kept his promise after all?

"Hinami, can I ask you something?" She spoke quietly. As far as she knew the walls were ears. 

The slight tug on [N]'s wrist slackened before ceasing altogether. The invisible girl stood frozen in her tracks, awaiting her question expectantly. Taking a breath and bracing for the possibility of horrific news, [N] counted to three and opened her eyes.

"There was a man here a while ago. My father. I guess my question is do you know what happened to him? Please, if there's anything you can tell me, would helpful it be."

Frowning at the slight imperfection at the end of her sentence, Hinami still understood the gist. 'Anything you can tell me would be helpful.' Feeling pity for the sad expression on her face, she offered the girl a soft smile, hoping that even while she couldn't see it, perhaps she could sense it. Hoping to give her at least a sense of visible comfort if that didn't work, her hand squeezed  [N]'s wrist.

"I met your father very briefly. He had an UNFORTUNATE encounter with Nishiki, but Touka and I managed to fend him off, though you owe a lot more toward Touka than you do me. She's the one that saved him from Ayato."

[N]'s eyes widened. "What are you talking about?" She uttered, fear coursing through her stomach. Dread sent painful spikes into her core.

"Well, just after your father arrived, Ayato captured him and was going to eat him, but Touka intervened, suggesting he spare him and eat him sometime in the future if desperation demanded it." Noting the visible girl's horrified expression, she quickly continued, "But don't worry. Touka was just trying to buy some time until she could come up with a plan to rescue him."

Feeling her blood reheating and fracturing the ice in her veins, she relaxed and felt her misery slip and five way to relief. To this Touka woman, she owed so much; her father's life thrice, albeit the last one unknown and kept as such.

[N] made up her mind. She would meet this Touka as soon as possible and thank her for everything she had done, but until then, she had a mansion to tour.

Shooting a smile toward Hinami, she offered her wrist. "Shall we continue?"

 ~END Chapter Seven~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I don't know if anyone remembers: I noted in (I think it was the) second chapter that Reader was fluent in Japanese yet, so I've decided to go back into my story and give her a few grammatical mistakes whenever she's speaking Japanese. Anyway, it's not that big note, but
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> ******!!!!!!! SPOILER!!!!!!!******
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> Okay, did you look away if you don't want a spoiler? 
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> Ayato's going to get annoyed with her grammatical inaccuracies and decide to tutor her. Yeah, that's pretty much it...

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't completely come up with an idea, so I'm working with the plot as I'm writing, but I do think I have an idea of where to help the story flow. That being said, thank you for reading. Hopefully you'll comment and like, as well. I'll keep on writing, so the next chapter should be posted sooner or later (at least sometime this week). 
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> Have a good day!


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